Where Antonio Brown trade interest, Steelers depth, free agency philosophy & more stand at Day 1 of the NFL Combine

Posted Feb 27, 2019

Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert on the sideline during an NFL preseason football game against the Carolina Panthers, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, in Pittsburgh.(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)AP

INDIANAPOLIS — The Steelers’ approach to free agency depends upon what they learn about draft prospects at the NFL Combine, which can change what they get (or from why they get what) in a trade for Antonio Brown, which sets the table for the entire 2019 season.

In a pair of interview sessions on Wednesday, general manager Kevin Colbert addressed Brown, Ben Roethlisberger’s pending contract situation and a series of other subjects both broad and specific.

We’re running through the best of them and what they mean before player media time gets underway Thursday. All quotes here are Colbert’s:

The future conditioning of ‘megastars’

It’s something the team’s head of personnel thinks they are learning about as they go, citing the increased incentive for players to develop their own personal brands.

Colbert was asked how the team looks at large contracts and “who they give them to."

“We want players to grow into great players, Pro Bowl players, potential Hall of Fame players, but I think what we are learning is it is a different world. What we are doing here at the Combine, 30 years ago this didn’t happen, so it’s a different world. Social media has changed things, branding has changed things, so we have to do a better job of managing players as they grow into megastars. And that is something I think we are learning on the fly. It is a little more relevant this year obviously because of Le’Veon Bell’s situation and Antonio Brown’s situation, but the lesson is maybe we have to catch these guys when they are young. Again, Coach [Mike] Tomlin is great at cultivating a young player into both a young man and a great professional.”

What hasn’t changed

Colbert is still:

Noting that the Steelers will leave the door open to Le’Veon Bell, unrestricted free agent while also pointing out that James Conner was very good last season

Saying the team doesn’t have to trade Brown if their trade valuation for him isn’t met and that the relationship with Brown can be mended as players do change their minds

Complimenting Tomlin for managing players’ emotions

“Teams benefit if they can manage that, and that is something Coach Tomlin has been great at. Coach Tomlin understands and manages player emotions very well, so I have no worry about his ability to do that, not just in Antonio’s case but in any player’s case. We look at every situation individually.”

Interest in Brown went up

Colbert told NFL Network last week that three teams had inquired about the star receiver. That figure has increased, Colbert said.

Those talks have been “very, very preliminary." When asked if the initial approaches included offers that would be enough to move Brown, Colbert said he thinks the offers for Brown will change coming out of the Combine in one direction or another.

Just how deep the Steelers are at OT

When asked about how many viable offensive tackles he has on the current roster:

“We have the two starters. Matt Feiler did a great job stepping in when Marcus [Gilbert] got hurt. Chuks Okraofor did a nice job when matt was hurt and Marcus was out. So really that’s four guys that have played in legitimate NFL games. Jerald Hawkins, the year before he was working in some packages as an extra tight end and showed some promise before he got her last spring. so the depth there is good right now, albeit a couple of them have to work their way through some injuries."

Gilbert played in five games last season before sitting out with a knee injury. Feiler was replaced by Okorafor for Pittsburgh’s Week 12 while he nurse a pectoral injury, then returned to the starting lineup. Hawkins, a 2016 fourth-round pick, has only played in one season after suffering a shoulder injury in 2016, working as a backup in 2017 and suffering a knee injury in organized team activities (OTAs) last year.

The Steelers could make cap cuts ahead of free agency, he said. Gilbert, 31, is due $4.8-plus million in salary this year, plus a $50,000 workout bonus. He would count for $1.7 million against the cap even if released.

The free agent philosophy

Colbert touted the benefits of Steelers with expiring contracts testing the market before coming back to the team. They tend to be more content once they’ve done so.

He is, however, more comfortable with free agents the team already knows than outsiders they have to get to know.

“We like our players,” he said.

More free agents-to be could be re-signed before free agency opens on March 13.

On the Roethlisberger deal

Art Rooney II has said the team began initial conversations about extending the quarterback.

It could, he said, be his preference to ink such a contract prior to free agency.

“Depends on the structure and the actual dollars, which have to be determined. Any contract you do, depending on the structure, it can or cannot benefit you from a cap standpoint. So all that will come into play as we continue to unfold these next two weeks,” Colbert said. "Not only with him, but with free agency and the draft. What you learn this week can really influence what you do in the draft and free agency.

“There’s no doubt about it.”

When asked if he needed a deal done with Roethlisberger to know how much money he had to work with, he said he did not.